Hazy Summers and Unknown Futures
by 4everwriter
Summary: Everyone has dreams for the future. Some may be quite simple, others more complicated. Despite their differences though, having a dream is still having a dream. But, what do you do if don't have a dream? Post-STR.


**Hello again~ I don't have much to say for my new Kagepro fanfic, except that there was supposed to be another chapter, which I might or might not post since I didn't really like it. Enjoy, and please leave a review if you can at the end!**

 **I don't own the Kagerou Project, Kagerou Daze, or Mekakucity Actors.**

The heat haze was finally over. It was finally over, and everyone could finally come back alive from the same day of nightmare. Yet, now, Kano was laying on the couch, as if nothing had ever happened, as if nothing changed, as if their days of suffering hadn't ended.

Shintaro and Takane were playing a new video game with Ayano and Konoha watching. Seto was teaching Marie about different types of flowers, and pointed them out to her in a book. Momo was going to her extra summer classes, and Kido was making coffee for everyone to drink. Suddenly, a random thought popped into Kano's mind and he decided it was the perfect time to ask it.

"Nee-chan, can I ask you something?" He tried to sound nonchalant. Ayano looked at him, a bright smile on her face as always.

"What is it, Shuuya?" At her reply, Kano faintly thought about how he would never get use to someone calling him by his first name, ever again.

"Do you have any plans in the future?" Everyone stopped what they were doing and gave him a blank stare.

"Er... come again?" Ayano asked awkwardly.

Kano sighed. He should've known there was no easy way out.

"Basically, what are you planning to do with your life now that it's all over?"

"My life plans?" At first, Ayano looked confused. But then, her face lit up. "I would like to take after my mom's dream and be a scientist that studies the supernatural and help them!"

Shintaro rolled his eyes. "If you want to be a scientist, then you better study harder." As he talked, his eyes stayed glued to the screen. Ayano pouted at him as he won another round.

"Then what about you, Shintaro-kun?~" Kano looked at him.

"M-m-me?!" Shintaro stumbled a bit, turning a bit red. Everyone looked at him expectantly. Shintaro averted his eyes and muttered out,

"A song writer."

Takane burst out laughing.

"A song writer?! You, Master?! I'm dying!"

His face had turned entirely red by now.

"Be quiet, you fiend! What about you?!"

Takane stopped laughing for a moment to answer him.

"A game designer, duh," she said it as if it were the most obvious fact.

"How could you be a game designer if you can't even beat me in this game?" Shintaro smirked.

Takane scowled. "Fine, I challenge you to another match then!"

Once again, Kano's attention diverted away from the bickering duo and landed on Marie and Seto. "What about you guys?"

Seto looked at hum surprised by his attention. "Well, I guess I would like to be a vetenarian or zoologist, something to do with animals," he answered.

"And you, Marie?" Marie paused for a moment to think, then gave her reply.

"I want to work in a flower shop like Seto, and then make lots and lots of people happy!" She beamed at him and Kano returned it with a genuine smile.

Kano took in each response thoughtfully. He also noted that Momo decided to continue her idol career, and that Haruka mentioned something about being a mangaka. Before they left to go back to the countryside (promising to come back to visit of course), Hibiya said he wanted to be a "tall, handsome, and cool police officer (to which Hiyori announced as lame), and Hiyori dreamed of being a fashion designer. That left one person left.

"What about you, Kido?"

Kido came walking out, carrying a tray of various types of coffee. Everyone grabbed their own cups and Kido sat down beside Kano.

"My career, huh..." Kido got a thoughtful expression.

"Maybe you should work in a maid cafe, huh, Danchou-san?~ After all, you do love those frilly skirt- ow ow ow ow ow!"

Kido's face didn't change as she stepped on Kano's foot hard. After giving a slight, pained chuckle, he looked back at her, waiting for an answer.

"I guess I'll probably start taking online high school classes soon, since I missed out on it, then go on to college to be a doctor " she gave a slight smile at the thought. Kano looked at her, surprised.

"Really? Why those choices?"

"One day I was just thinking about it, and I realized how much I wanted to be a hero or role model to someone, like my biological sister, or you, Nee-chan." Kano could tell from Ayano's teary eyes that Kido's words had touched her. He let out a soft chuckle. Typical Kido. Always taking a step ahead to make the best for everyone around her.

Kido grew flustered, and pulled down her hood a bit to conceal her face. "A-anyways, why are you even asking about it, Kano?" She quickly changed the subject.

Kano shrugged. "Just wondering~" he replied, with an aloof tone.

"Well then, what do you want to be, Shuuya?" Ayano asked him, with her usual kind smile on her face.

He laughed sheepishly. "Well~ I don't exactly know yet..." He admitted.

Shintaro raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's surprising."

Kano shot him a teasing look. "And that's coming from a hikkineet?"

" _Like I said, I'm not a hikkineet anymore!_ "

Ayano gave a little giggle before turning back to Kano. "Are there any specific things you like to do?" She asked, though more of a suggestion. The only response she got back was a blank stare.

"How about any talents?" Seto offered.

Kano opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Kido interrupted him.

" _Besides_ being annoying."

He closed his mouth.

"Or rather than being something, why don't you do something instead, Kano-san?" Momo grinned excitedly. "Like traveling the world, or inventing something!"

Kano gave her an amused smile. "Invented something like what?"

She thought for a minute. "Like red bean soup soda flavored pocky?" Momo drooled a bit at the thought, while everyone else turned pale.

"U-um... How about less dangerous and more useful?" Seto sweated.

She pouted at their reluctance, but then brightened up again. "Or maybe boots that can raise Kano-san's height more than his normal ones!"

Everyone froze for a moment as Kano seemed to give off a more depressing aura. "P-please don't mention that, Kisaragi-chan..."

They all sweated again. _Decie-boots..._

 _ **10:00 PM**_

The first to go to bed was Seto, who had his part time job in the morning. Following him to his room was Marie, having to wake up early the next day to make her daily batch of fake flowers. Then, Takane had to leave for a late night date with Haruka (to which Ayano squealed and Shintaro rolled his eyes). Finally, since Shintaro and Momo were sleeping over for the night, the siblings begrudgingly decided to share Marie's unoccupied room, since Takane and Haruka would be sleeping in the living room once they get back, Marie couldn't bear to be separated from Seto, and Shintaro openly _refused_ to sleep in Kano's room, much less allow his sister to. The last to leave the room was Ayano, who would be sharing a room with Kido.

Kano gave a little peek over at Kido, who was sitting on the same couch. She seemed to be listening to her music with her eyes closed, and there was a heavy silence for a couple minutes. Finally, Kido gave out a little huff.

"Still though, how could you not have figured out what you wanted to do in the future yet?" She glanced over at Kano, who blinked in surprise at the question.

"Hehe... I never thought that it was ever important for me..." he gave a little sheepish laugh. In return, Kido gave him a confused look, a cue for him to continue.

"Most of our lives were spent in the haze, and I had just begun to think that we would never make it out." He chuckled, a bit forced. "And besides, even if there were the possibility that we could end the heat haze, I never thought that I would..." He trailed off.

"Never though that you would what?" Kido wasn't sure whether she wanted to know.

"... Make it into the future."

"What?" She narrowed her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kano gave a humorless grin, though she could clearly see the sadness in his cat-like eyes. "Don't you understand, Danchou-san? I never considered the fact that I could even live to see the future. I never believed that I could even be still alive now. I-"

"You think that you're going to die, that you won't even have a future." Kido cut him off, her words filled with fury and pain. "Is that what you truly believe will happen, Kano?"

He shrugged. "I mean, I'm useless most of the time, and I can't do anything. Unlike Seto, I'm not trustworthy. I'm not a hard worker, like you. I can't make people happy. I'm not a hero. All I can do is deceive, lie. If you think about it, I'm a pretty worthless person. There's no way this cruel world would let me live just to take up space. Maybe the only reason I'm standing here right now is just to live up to this moment. Maybe the only reason why I couldn't decide what I wanted for my future was because I wasn't meant to have a future. Maybe, in the future, I wasn't meant to be something. Maybe... Maybe I'm just meant to be nothing. " Kano couldn't believe all the words he was spilling out right now, but it was too late to take it back. It seemed as though each word was stabbing into Kido. _I'm sorry._

"You're wrong."

He looked at her, no longer smiling. "No, it really is the truth. I'm not lying-"

"No." Kido glared at him. "Kano, even if you did some horrible things this summer, it doesn't mean you lose all your right to live. Sure, you can be annoying sometimes, and you may be a liar, but that doesn't mean that you don't deserve a future! Everyone has faults, yet the world isn't punishing them for it. And even if it seems as if you can't live any longer, I will make sure that you stay alive and you get the future you want. _I swear._ "

"Kido..." He was speechless for a moment, but then let out a slight grin. "Thank you." He reached over and surprised her with a tight hug.

She blinked for a second before sighing and returning it. "Besides, dummy, didn't you know that you will always have the Mekakushi Dan by your side?" She grumbled into his shoulder.

"That's right!"

The two looked around, and once realizing that Ayano, Seto, Shintaro, Momo, and Marie had been watching them for a while, they separated quickly, heat rising to their faces.

Ayano and Seto ran over to them, bright smiles on their faces. "Shuuya, don't be afraid! We'll always be standing next to you, even in the future!" Ayano hugged him.

Seto grinned and joined her. "Besides, we're family, aren't we? And families always watch over each other to keep each other smiling!"

"Eh... Is that so..." Shintaro rolled his eyes, jokingly. In response, Momo gave a light punch on her brother's shoulder. "Be quiet, Onii-chan!" She glared at him, and smiled back at Kano.

"Ignore him, Kano-san! At least you aren't a shut-in hikkineet, like _someone_ I know..."

"I told you, I'm not a hikkineet anymore!"

They all laughed, as Momo and Marie joined in the group hug.

"That's right! Kano-san shouldn't have to face the future alone!" Marie chimed in sweetly.

Kano laughed, this time sounding more genuine. "Thanks, guys. Want to join in to, Shintaro-kun?~ You too, Kido!~"

Kido stood up, with a little, relief smile on her face, barely noticeable. "Since we're all awake, I'll just go make some tea for everyone." She walked towards the kitchen, missing Kano, Ayano, Marie, and Momo's pouting faces. Then, Ayano turned towards Shintaro. "Then you join in , Shintaro!"

He looked away, blushing. "N-no thanks..." He muttered. Suddenly, he felt a hand shoving him, causing him to trip forwards into the group hug.

"Just go in, you virgin shut-in!" Takane came sauntering in, Haruka right behind her. She had a little smirk on her face until Haruka grabbed her hand as well to run in the group.

And as Kano laughed at Takane's reddening face, Haruka's chuckles, Shintaro's complains, Momo and Marie's squeals, Seto's cheerful grin, Ayano's giggles, and the smell of Kido's brewing tea, he thought to himself:

 _Thank you, for being by my side._


End file.
